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As soon as May arrives, you know it’s time to start looking for Mother’s Day gifts. But what if what Mum really wants is so much simpler? Ad campaigns may tell you that you need to spend a fortune or order fresh flowers (and to be fair, mums deserve all of these things in spades), but we recently invited all of the mums who follow Better Homes and Gardens on Instagram to tell us what they really want this Mother’s Day and the responses, quite honestly, floored us.
There were zero requests for luxe jewellery or expensive gifts! Overwhelmingly, the mums who responded said that all they wanted was some time for themselves, time for their hobbies and a break from mundane household tasks like planning and cooking meals, cleaning and all things relating to the mental load. So, if you’ve been looking for a way to make Mum feel special without spending a fortune, we’ve got you covered. Here are 9 ways to honour Mum with acts of service.
1. A sleep in
Is your Mum the first one awake in the morning, yet the last person to go to bed at night? If she is, you may have already urged her to ‘have a sleep in’ to no avail. The truth is, mums often get up early because they know that the big to-do list they carry around in their mind isn’t going to do itself!
For this gift to work, you need to observe Mum’s morning routine in the days leading up to Mother’s Day. It might look something like this: let the pets outside, make a cup of coffee, run a load of washing, unpack the dishwasher, make breakfast, water the garden and … well, you get the picture. Then, on Mother’s Day, when she tries to wake up early, hand her a book, some breaky, and a hot cup of coffee and tell her: “I’ve got things covered this morning, go have a sleep in,” and send her back to bed while you proceed to check off the items in her morning routine.
2. A clean house
A day of zero housework is a dream for many mums. There are several ways you can interpret this. Focus on the one area of the house Mum hates cleaning most (um, scrubbing the bathroom, anyone?) and give it a seriously thorough clean, or give the entire house a once-over (you may need to enlist the siblings and delegate tasks to accomplish this in a single day). Check off these basics and your Mum will really notice the difference:
- Make the beds
- Tidy up the kitchen, stack the dishwasher and scrub the sink
- Declutter all surfaces and putting things back where they belong
- Dust furniture and skirting boards
- Vacuum or sweep floors, then mop
- Wipe down bathroom vanity, sink and mirror
- Clean the shower
- Scrub the toilet
- Empty the bins
3. Maintenance jobs done
You know what Mum notices every time she tidies up the house? All the little jobs that need to get done that nobody ever gets around to. Do a sneaky audit of your house and take note of anything that’s not in tip-top condition and commit to fixing them as best you can. Some ideas for this include:
- Lubricating squeaky door hinges
- Cleaning kitchen, bathroom and laundry drains
- Cleaning the air-conditioner filters or grates
- Test and replace smoke alarm batteries
- Organising tools in the garage
- Patching up small holes or marks in walls
- Clean the barbecue and outdoor furniture
- Edging and mowing the lawn
- Cleaning out the wheelie bin
4. The washing done
Laundry is a never-ending task, and if it’s something Mum usually does single-handedly, giving her a break for a day will be entirely welcome. Start by making sure you’ve got all of the washing in one place and sort it into piles according to colour and/or fabric type.
Then, work your way through the piles methodically until everything’s clean. Don’t forget that chucking things into the washing machine is the easy part – this job ain’t finished until everything is washed, neatly folded and put away!
5. A hot cuppa and a chat
If you don’t know how your Mum has her tea or coffee, this is your sign to do better. Learning how to make your Mum a drink that she enjoys is one of the simplest ways to show you care, and, quite frankly, a cuppa always tastes better when someone else makes it. It’s a small gesture that hits big when you’re a Mum that’s always on-the-go. Better yet, host a high-tea party at home!
6. Not having to cook for a day
Two of the mums who responded to our Instagram story said they’d like a day off cooking, but a day is just the beginning! Some mums genuinely enjoy the act of cooking, but answering the question ‘what’s for dinner’ night after night is something even the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin considered one of life’s biggest challenges.
Start with classic breakfast in bed, then plan a delicious lunch. In the evening you could surprise her for dinner by taking her out to her favourite restaurant or ordering takeaway that can be enjoyed while watching her favourite movie. No matter how you make this wish come true, just be sure to tidy up the kitchen and dining room once the meals are complete!
@femalequotient Even the Queen of Soul had to face the daily dilemma of what to make for dinner. We can totally relate! 😂 #ArethaFranklin ♬ original sound – Female Quotient
7. Help with technology
There is so much smart home technology these days, and while it can be super handy, wifi connections and software updates often lead to things disconnecting and then never really … reconnecting. The next time you visit Mum, offer to do a tech audit and make sure all the creature comforts, whether it be a smart home speaker, a washing machine, a robotic vacuum cleaner, phone apps, smart doorbells – the list goes on – are working exactly as they should be!
8. Time for hobbies
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ ‘How Australians use their time’ survey shows that many Australian women (38%, in fact) feel pressed for time and spend an average of 3.5 hours a day on activities such as unpaid domestic work, child car, adult care and voluntary work, so it’s no wonder that many mums’ favourite pastimes are at the bottom of their priority list.
Here’s how to give her some time back for a creative activity that will really fill her cup: tidy the house, do the grocery shopping, organise the pantry or fridge, wash and change bed sheets, help younger siblings with homework or bedtime routines, wash the car inside and out or prepare school lunches for the week.
9. Quality time
Another request that several BHG followers mentioned was quality time. Mum just wants to spend time with you! Take a walk along the beach together, visit a free art gallery exhibition, bake delicious lemonade scones or even just lock in time for an extended FaceTime call. If you’ve got money to spare, create a group chat with dad and your siblings and see whether you can all surprise Mum with a family getaway. (P.S. Right now you can save over 50% on Flight Centre’s Northern Territory sale!)
